How forests boost the Welsh economy

To mark the International Day of Forests 2026, Greg Jones, of the Wales Harvesting and Marketing team, explains the important role forests play in the Welsh economy.

The Welsh Government Woodland Estate covers more than 115,000 hectares or about 285,000 acres of forests and woodlands, making up 6% of Welsh land.

It includes ancient woodlands and coniferous forests; all home to a diverse range of plants and animals and each with the potential for sustainably producing wood products.

Our forests and woodlands provide a multitude of benefits , supporting a circular economy.

Not only do our forests and woodlands support biodiversity, wildlife, carbon sequestration, water management and recreation, they are also key to  people and nature thriving together, in addition to producing sustainably grown timber which boosts the green economy and provides rural jobs.

But it’s not just timber that supports the economy,  Forest Research estimates that the well-being benefits to people who enjoy forests and woodlands are worth £13 million to the NHS in Wales.

Last year Wales’s first Timber Industrial Strategy was launched, setting out the importance of growing more Welsh timber to help meet a projected quadruple rise in global demand by 2050.

 The strategy aims to tackle the challenges ahead, including increasing resilience to pests and diseases, storm events and wildfire in a changing climate.

The timber we supply is felled by highly skilled contractors who then move the cut trees to the forest road to be taken to the sawmill by hauliers. The sawmills then process the timber for a variety of uses such as fencing, pallets for transporting other goods, internal home furniture such as kitchens and most importantly, construction. The wood that goes into building Welsh homes and buildings, locks up carbon delivering future-proof green infrastructure.

We acknowledge the importance of forest economies in our developing Growth and Value Strategy for a green and prosperous Wales. The forestry expression of this, is the draft Timber Sales and Marketing Plan for 2027-2031.

This plan sets out our commitment to a sustained flow of timber to the market, with the Welsh Government Woodland Estate providing more than 60% of softwood timber to the Welsh market, playing a pivotal role in supporting our forest industry.

The Timber Sales and Marketing Plan is focussed on an increased estimate of timber production of between 835,000 – 875,000 cubic metres each year from our forests to secure a long-term sustainable timber supply, again showing the vital role forestry can play in developing the green economy as well as providing carbon positive building materials for Welsh homes.

Economies are the keystone of forests and help us manage our forests for timber which supports the well-being of the people and wildlife of Wales.